Jim
12/28/2009
Pastor spoke yesterday about how the evil one comes into our lives and takes away people, resources, and our future.
Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
He does not need the people he has taken out of my life, or the money, or the dreams that I pondered over. NO! He wants my soul. He wants me to quit loving God and relying upon Him for my every moment.
Satan wants me to give up on God; to stop praising Him for all things. To throw up my hands and scream out that God surely does not love me because He has allowed this (enter in some terrible disaster here) to come into my life.
Yes! Terrible things happen in life on planet Earth. They do. There is no way around it. Terrible things happen to good people.
At the beginning of recorded history Adam broke covenant with the Holy might God of the Universe. His punishment was the damnation of all of mankind. The evil one was given control of Earth and all who dwell on it.
Mans life was cursed along with the very ground he walks on. Weeds grow profusely without any care whatsoever, while tender beneficial fruiting plants need our ever tender care and husbandry to eek out a crop of nourishment.
So also are our lives. Evil abounds within us from the moment we cry our first. We do not need to give evil care and nourishment to cause it to flourish. A bountiful harvest is always at hand, ready to pour out like a flood.
Not to worry! Jesus came into the world to take back the possession of the Earth from Satan. This saving act is freely available to us all. All we have to do is accept it from Christ’s outstretched hands. It id freely offered, freely given. Take it please.
Now that we have the gift of salvation Satan wants to pull us away from it. He wants us to not know the full extent of this saving grace; to not find peace in the knowledge of God.
Just think about it. If the master thief caused you to loose all of your money, investments, or savings, this would be cause for great concern on your part. How you handle this situation has an eternal consequence. Yes it would impact your security and well being right now. It would affect your livelihood today and tomorrow. But…
If you turned you back on God because of this. If you blamed the Creator for this insurrection into your financial world, then Satan will have accomplished what he originally intended to do. That is to rob you of eternity.
Lucifer, the fallen, does not need your cash. He needs your eternal life. He wants to take you with him into the lake of fire reserved for his cohorts and those who have fallen into his web of destruction. He wants a hoard of companions to accompany him as he spends forever being separated from the love of God.
Don’t fall for this elusive trap. The evil one will hit you hard, over and over trying to get you to give up your commitment to Christ. Don’t do it! Don’t fall for this trap. Yes it hurts in the physical realm, but only for a moment. Don’t let a little bit of faulty pleasure or comfort on this planet take away your eternal rewards.
Read the last part of this again…
Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
More abundantly… Wow! Stand firm and God will come to your rescue. Stand and then stand some more. Wrap yourself in the full armor of God and take a stand for Him who is able.
Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Eph 6:14 Stand therefore…
Pastor also spoke on.
1Sa 30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.
Where David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. David encouraged himself, not from some other preaching or helping hand from another. No! He encouraged himself. David wrote many of the Psalms, songs, he played the harp for Saul. David sang songs of praise and worship to God.
That is how he encouraged himself. A Holy Benevolent God poured out His peace to David when David poured out praises to Him.
When Satan attacks relentlessly trying to discourage you or get you to give up on God, crawl into your prayer closet and lift up your voice in praise and worship. Give homage to the King for He is worthy of all praise and Glory and Honor Forever.
We daily fight a spiritual battle between good and evil. If we let the good prevail in our lives then we truly stand on the threshold of eternity.
Where God will say…
Mat 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant;
And not…
Mat 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.